Soto, the New Ramen

Could Soto lure Ramen noodle admirers?

Soto Ayam. Soto with shredded chicken.

Indonesian sate – skewered chunks of chicken, lamb or beef served with a piquant peanut sauce - needs little introduction, but Indonesia’s most popular soup dish, known as soto is an equally addictive streetfood.

For the determined foody there are over 26 varieties of soto to sample on the island of Java alone. Most popular is chicken - soto ayam – normally but not exclusively served with coconut milk and often (my preference) with one half of a soft boiled egg. Many soto recipes reveal their town of origins, such as Makassar in South Sulawesi, the famous Padang of West Sumatra or Soto ayam Banjar from Bajarmasin, East Kalimantan. Each claims its own distinct recipe is the best.

Try making soto ayam for yourself using the recipe in my Jakarta Bites cookbook.

Whatever your favourite – this is comfort personified in a bowl – a variety of rich spices and sambal to warm the stomach and stimulate the tastebuds. So if your ramen is becoming too routine, it might be time to soto.